Milford Memorial Hospital will be offering a pair of free programs in the coming months in its ongoing fight against cancer.

By Scott Goss

Milford Memorial Hospital will be offering a pair of free programs in the coming months in its ongoing fight against cancer.

To mark National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, the hospital will be offering free colorectal cancer screenings at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

The screenings will consist of a digital rectal exam and a fecal occult blood test. To register for a screening, call Jennifer Nack at (302) 430-5324.

Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of death for men and women and the American Cancer Society recommends routine screenings beginning at age 50, particularly among African Americans and anyone with a family history of colorectal cancer.

Milford Memorial also soon will begin offering a seven-week tobacco cessation program that will include nicotine replacement therapy and strategies for lifestyle improvement through behavior modification, diet, stress reduction and exercise. Participants will not be asked to quit using tobacco products until the fourth week of the program.

Classes will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the hospital’s rehab conference room each Tuesday from April 16 to May 28.